Overview
- St. John’s is 4-3 and ranked No. 23 after a 1-2 Las Vegas trip that included losses to Iowa State and Auburn.
- Each defeat featured at least 83 points allowed, rebounding deficits, and blown second-half leads that undercut early control.
- Dylan Darling’s IT-band issue limited him to seven minutes against Auburn after a prior calf strain, but he practiced this week and is expected to play.
- Pitino will shift Joson Sanon to the bench to start a more defensive-minded option, targeting matchups such as former Johnnie AJ Storr.
- Ole Miss enters on a three-game slide, with Chris Beard criticizing effort and shuffling rotations before the game at Madison Square Garden.